


Of Lore and Loyalty

by shooponthemoon



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Centaurs, Dragon!shifters, Eren Yeager & Jean Kirstein (friendship), Fluff, Friendship, Multi, Princes & Princesses, Romance, Springles (friendship), mostly a focus on the plot and the group of characters as a whole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-03
Updated: 2014-07-06
Packaged: 2018-02-03 05:52:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1733462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shooponthemoon/pseuds/shooponthemoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When disaster strikes their hometown, Eren and Mikasa are forced to flee, unable to find refuge in the neighbouring kingdoms who discriminate against shapeshifters like Mikasa. They eventually find a place among an eclectic group of magical creatures, led by a certain centaur, who live in the forest of the Sorceress. An ogre attack leaves Eren questioning his identity and his past, but a kidnapped princess just might be the key to finding out what really happened all those years ago during the great War of Fire. Disguising themselves as knights, the group begins a quest to uncover the truth, complete with a stowaway prince, a tale of true love, a journey to the ocean, spells and enchantments, a heartbroken king, enemies from the past, and a very angry Captain of the Guard. At the end of it all, one hopes that every one of these heroes finds their happily ever after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ashes of Shinganshina

**Author's Note:**

> First off, I'd love to thank my lovely beta Kitshunette for putting up with me despite the horrible 6-hour time difference!  
> Check out her own works [here!](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitshunette)
> 
> Ok wow that description was hard to write. I was trying to achieve a balance between giving enough info to get people hooked, but without revealing anything too important... I hope I succeeded haha
> 
> I do want to stress the fact that this fic will mostly be about the plot/story, and the development of the characters individually and with others. Romantic relationships will be explored buuut they are not the main focus of this fic. I will however be giving each pair their own time to shine, so please don't worry about that! I'm just saying that if these ships aren't your faves (I mean trust me, I'm mostly a JeanMarco and EruRi shipper, so I don't even know where this came from), don't worry: I promise I won't be shoving any one ship in your face.
> 
> Enjoy! Not sure how consistent I'll be with chapter lengths or update intervals, but I'll try my best!

 

His throat felt like it was on fire, his tongue sandpaper, and the tears streaming down his face did nothing to soothe the burning in his eyes. The entire sky was one giant cloud of thick, black smoke, raining white ash upon their heads.

One hand keeping a damp cloth firmly over his mouth and nose, Eren struggled to keep up with his adopted sister Mikasa, whose red scarf had so far managed to protect her face and lungs much better than Eren’s thin piece of cloth. His breathing sounded much too loud to his own ears, and every step was unstable as the rumbling from the great mountain persisted, sending aftershocks all across the valley.

Shinganshina’s neighbouring volcano had been dormant for years – the last eruption dating far before Eren had even been born – and one could say the people of the valley had grown complacent. They had put their faith in the quiet of the great mountain, and in the great walls built between the southern mountains to keep evil beasts at bay. The War of Fire has long since ended, due to the extinction of the fire-breathers and their greatest enemies, the giants. In truth, the people of Shinganshina had really nothing to fear.

Or so they’d thought.

There had been no warning. No tremors, no suspicious plume of smoke, no distressed animals trying to flee the area.

The sky had been blue: not a single cloud to be seen. Eren and Mikasa had been enjoying some time to themselves by the old well, just outside of the city. Almost all of the other children avoided the area, once thought to have magical properties, as their parents still carried the fear of dark magic within their hearts from days of old.

It was convenient for them to have such a secluded place, because it gave Mikasa a chance to spread her wings without being seen. As in, she would literally turn into a bird and fly around while Eren lay in the grass and napped.

Mikasa was the last of the raven shifters, which is why her family had been targeted and her parents killed before Eren had a chance to rescue her. Bird shifters, and shifters in general, were much rarer these days, as many shifters had participated in the War of Fire alongside the knights and sorcerers and given up their lives on the battlefield. Eren’s father, Grisha, had guessed that the men had seen Mikasa and her mother as rarities to be taken and sold to the highest bidder. After killing her kidnappers and saving her life, Eren had wound his scarf around her to hide the feathers that remained on her back, torso and neck, even in human form, and she’d been a part of his family ever since.

Eren’s father, who worked as a healer, had left the day before, so the two had escaped to the old well to avoid getting roped into doing chores with their mother. At least, Eren was the one doing the escaping and Mikasa was letting him, if only because she hadn’t had a chance to go flying in weeks.

High up in the air, on that beautiful, tranquil, _peaceful_ morning, Mikasa had had the perfect view of the great mountain at the exact moment it exploded, making a noise louder than anything they had ever heard. A powerful shockwave had rippled through the air, sending her crashing into a tree. She shifted back involuntarily as she fell, landing ungracefully in Eren’s arms after he’d scrambled to get to her in time.

Horrified, the two siblings looked on as the now-active volcano spit fire high into the sky, the dark, smoky cloud already drifting outwards from above its peak. Lava spewed down its sides in thick rivers, leaving a sea of burning trees in its wake. It was only then that they noticed the rocks, no doubt blasted from the mountain by the force of the explosion, which had nearly destroyed the south-most portion of the great wall, and the dark shapes that could be seen climbing among the rubble.

“Oh no…” Mikasa gasped, a cold fear gripping her heart. She had heard of these creatures; wars had been thought _because_ of these creatures, and now they were invading their home in the midst of this terrible disaster. “ _Ogres!_ ”

“We have to get to Mom!” Eren yelled, jumping up and pulling his sister to her feet.

“Wait, Eren! The volcano, the smoke, it’s going to make things dangerous. We have to protect ourselves.” He nodded, knowing she was right even though every cell in his body screamed at him to go run and find their mother, to make sure she was unharmed.

They quickly fished the bucket from the well, Mikasa ripping off a piece of an old blanket they used for picnics and wetting it, along with her scarf, before handing it to Eren and instructing him to keep his mouth covered. They ran, hearts pounding, down the hill and back towards the city as the sky darkened above. The ash started to fall as they reached the first buildings, and the screams coming from the edge of town near the fallen wall kept increasing as more ogres climbed through the hole and started wandering into the city.

A sudden tremor sent both siblings tumbling to the ground. Eren turned just in time to witness a second violent explosion rock the mountain, its entire peak shattering to pieces and sending jagged rocks flying as fire and lava burst in all directions. He gasped as a huge shaped emerged from the fiery heart of the volcano, red wings spread wide as it slowly rose into the dark sky. It was quickly engulfed by the swirling clouds of ash, but there was no mistaking what this creature was: _a dragon_. He had heard tales from the War, but never had he imagined them capable of being _that enormous_.

Mikasa was paralyzed by fear of an entirely different nature; true, dragons were a terrifying sight and quite fearsome fighters, but they had never been in any sort of way direct enemies of the human kingdoms. In fact, the stories said they were generally quite apathetic towards non-magical creatures, other than the animals they hunted as food. They only had one true enemy, and during the War the humans and dragons had ended up fighting for the same side by virtue of that same enemy. Her fear was due to the idea that if dragons, thought to be extinct since the end of the war, were somehow still around, then so could their enemies: the terrible, violent, man-eating giants.

Even though ogres were huge, relatively tough opponents, and also enjoyed snacking on humans, they were quite dumb and it was still easy enough for human knights and swordsman to kill them. However, the average giant was smarter than an ogre and about 15 metres tall; meaning only dragons and the most skilled sorcerers and warriors could actually kill one.

Mikasa was snapped out of her thoughts when Eren tugged at her arm, urging her to keep going. He coughed, his lungs on fire from having dropped his cloth to gape at the dragon. He struggled to put it back in place as he ran with his sister towards their home, the two going against the tide of people headed as far from the wreckage as possible.

The ash became thicker; the screams grew louder; the pain intensified. But Eren forgot all of that when his childhood home came into view, or at least, what was left of it.

One of the rocks thrown from the mountain in the explosion had crushed his house, leaving almost nothing behind. As they crept nearer, fearful of the ogres that could be nearby, Eren spotted a speck of colour among the wreckage: his mother’s dress –

“MOM!” he cried out as he ran towards her, almost forgetting to keep his face covered. They ran to her side and immediately tried lifting the plank that was keeping her crushed beneath the ruins of their home.

“Eren… Mikasa…” she said weakly, lifting her head. “Get out of here, it isn’t… safe…”

“NO!” Eren roared. “We are not leaving you behind! Mikasa, don’t stop! We have to keep trying!”

“Eren.” She said firmly. He turned to glare at her, but paled when he saw the grotesque figure of an ogre slowly approaching. “Eren, we have to go. I’m sorry but we have to go.”

“Please… go. Be safe, please, my darlings,” their mother said, caressing Eren’s face as tears spilled from both of their eyes.

“Mom… no… I can’t just leave you,” he said, wiping away at his tears.

“Go! Now!” their mother cried out. “There’s no time left! Mikasa, Eren, get yourselves to safety!”

The two children picked themselves up from the dirt and the rubble and started running, this time away from the disaster zone. Eren only looked back once, tears almost blurring his vision, but what he saw was enough to haunt him for the rest of his life: his mother, being picked up like a ragdoll, a plaything, as she screaming in fear, and being bitten in half by the hungry monster, her blood raining down onto the street. He’d cried out, he’d yelled, he’d wailed; he’d heard his sister’s sobs and seen her shaking shoulders, but still they kept running, because now nowhere was safe – the entirety of the Shinganshina valley, _their_ _home_ , was no longer safe – and they had to leave as fast as possible.

They eventually joined up with the panicked crowd headed north towards the passage through the mountains towards the Rose kingdom, which belonged to the royal Garrison family.  The passage was also protected by a thick wall, which meant that even if ogres had managed to breach the valley, the Garrison guards could defend the wall and still keep their kingdom safe as knights were sent out to dispatch the monsters. Eren could see the doors of the walls were already open, and guards were escorting survivors inside.

Just as Eren and Mikasa were passing through the gates, a cry rose up from the crowd. Peering back, Eren saw a flash of gold high the sky before if suddenly plummeted towards the ground.

“Dragon!” someone cried out, and the crowd started to panic and push, Eren desperately holding on to his sister’s arm as they made it out of the other side of the wall where the crowd fanned out, making it a bit easier to breathe.

He could hear the guards shouting and more people screaming. All of a sudden, a shadow fell over them as the golden dragon circled overhead, a cow trapped in its jaw. It was significantly smaller than the red one he had seen emerge from the volcano, but no less frightening. After seemingly finding nothing of interest though, the dragon turned back towards the city and flew away, leaving everyone relieved that for the moment, the dragons had no reason to harm or even take notice of the humans.

The ogres, however, were still a very present danger. As the last of the survivors trickled in, the people were being herded north towards the river. Boats were arriving to take them west into Garrison territory, where they could attempt to pick up the broken pieces of their lives and try to put this ordeal behind them.

Things could obviously not go that smoothly for Eren and his sister; when they neared the boats, they spotted Garrison soldiers denying access to the boats to some of the people gathered along the riverbank. One man was arguing with them, wife and children at his side, fox tail flicking angrily behind him. In an instant, Mikasa understood.

“Eren, they aren’t letting shifters aboard,” she said, tugging him aside. “Their fear and mistrust of magical beings has probably only been amplified by this disaster,” she added, looking down.

“Well, that’s stupid!” Eren said aggressively. “They’re just idiots who’re afraid of people they don’t understand. You have absolutely no reason to feel bad about yourself, Mikasa.”

“But Eren, I don’t want you to go on your own. I can’t keep you safe if I have to stay behind.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m going with you, then!” he said, grinning at his sister’s wide eyes. “What, you think I’d want to go with jerks like them to their stupid little shifter-hating kingdom? No way! We could just go live in the forest or something by ourselves, I’m sure we’d make it out ok.”

“Good,” Mikasa said quietly, hiding her small smile in her scarf. “Because you’re an idiot and you’d probably get hurt in a fight if I left you alone.”

“Hey! I’m not that hopeless!” he said in a huff. He quieted as he felt sadness creep up on him. “Besides, you’re the only family I’ve got left. I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

The two shared a brief hug before slipping away from the crowd and into the forest. The guards and soldiers were all so busy trying to manage the frantic group of survivors that a couple of quiet children went easily unnoticed.


	2. Into the Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for those who'd been expecting some JeanXSasha (which is what I'd tagged with the first chapter), but re-reading what I wrote... things might be a bit more interesting this way haha, and I really need to satisfy my own JeanMarco cravings :P
> 
> This was a lot of fun to write! You finally get to meet the rest of the main group, this is really exciting!!!
> 
> (The ~~~ means a scene/setting change, just in case you were wondering)

 

Eren and Mikasa journeyed east, away from the Rose kingdom, following the river until it changed course, turning south towards its source far into the mountains. There wasn’t a bridge to be found this far east, but they were lucky enough to find a relatively calm and narrow stretch for Eren to cross as Mikasa kept a watchful eye overhead. They made camp there for a few days, mainly to fish and gather berries as neither had had the chance to bring anything with them in ways of provisions. They only had one canteen for water, which they had to thoroughly wash in the river to finally rid it of the taste of ash and the bitter sadness it brought them.

Shinganshina had fallen. Their home had been one of the last few independent territories that bore allegiance to none of the larger kingdoms, meaning it had been a safe haven for humans and magical creatures alike. Mikasa tried not to dwell on thoughts of how difficult it would be for her fellow shifters to find new homes and start over with their lives.

They never had an idle moment during those few days at the riverbank; when she wasn’t fishing in her raven form, Mikasa was busy trying to assemble makeshift tools and weapons using sticks and sharp rocks she found on the shore. Eren was in charge of collecting berries and weaving reeds into basket-like containers they could strap to their backs and use to carry their supplies. Once night fell, they both retreated to the shelter they had fashioned and immediately went to sleep, giving themselves no time ponder the horrors they had witnessed only days before. However, sleep was no refuge as both siblings were plagued by nightmares time and time again.

When they’d finally gathered enough food, Eren and Mikasa set out, sparing no final glance to the river as they left behind the last tether to their hometown, stepping quickly into the forest and at once being engulfed by its darkness.

They continued east, keeping in sight of the mountains. If Eren’s memory of an old map his father had once shown him was correct, they would eventually encounter a small lake hidden deep within the forest, right along the mountain range. The only problem was, it could take them weeks to get there as the two were unused to the thick forest and slightly rocky terrain. Their valley had been quite shielded from the high winds that blew through the mountains, meaning neither of them had the proper shoes nor warm clothes to travel any closer to the mountains, where they would have been free of the forest at the very least.

But their supplies could only last them so long, and although they had managed to find water every here and there, their food store was dwindling fast and the forest creatures were making themselves quite scarce.

A day before their food was to run out, they came across some tracks Eren swore belonged to a deer. Their makeshift spears at the ready, they silently followed the tracks. The ground was soft, making them quite clear and easy to follow. The area was full of small flowers, and the gurgle of a nearby stream could be heard over their careful footsteps.

All at once, Eren perked up, and excited look on his face. Antlers! He’d spotted antlers! Without giving Mikasa a chance to hold him back, he ran off in the direction he’d seen them, completely abandoning the path they’d been following.

Not wanting to risk being heard, Mikasa settled for shaking her head at her brother’s impulsiveness rather than shouting after him. She decided to keep following the tracks, which were soon joined by another pair – a rabbit’s?

A rustling in a nearby bush caught her attention. Crouching, she carefully inched her way around the tree beside her, giving her full view of a small meadow filled with fragrant flowers. At its far end, Mikasa could just make out a tuft of light brown peeking out from one of the bushes at the base of a tree. It was definitely the backside of a rabbit, and a very large one at that.

Spear held high, she inched closer and closer, torn between wanting to strike before it noticed her and hopped away, and wanting to be near enough to ensure there was no way she’d miss her target. When the rabbit started to wiggle its behind quite vigorously, she decided it was time and readied herself.

But just as she brought her arm back to strike, a whistling sound was heard as something whizzed past her cheek, leaving a small graze that stung fiercely. An arrow embedded itself in a nearby trunk with a soft thud. Mikasa froze, and for the first time heard the soft footfalls of whoever was approaching from behind. She had been so focused on the rabbit that she had blocked out all her surroundings.

“Just a word of advice: you should probably drop that spear. I only missed hitting you because I was actually aiming for the tree, so you can be pretty sure the next shot will go straight through your arm.”

Mikasa opened her hand and let the spear fall, bringing her other arm up in surrender. The voice had definitely been female, but for some reason came from higher up than she would have expected.

“Well alright then! Maybe we’ll be able to put this little incident behind us and chalk it all up to bad first impressions, hmmm?” the voice continued playfully.

Mikasa frowned, unsure of what the speaker’s true intentions and mood were. She changed her stance, fully intent on turning quickly, shifting and flying off before the other had a chance to loose another arrow, but the moment Mikasa turned around and caught sight of the other, her breath caught in her throat and she found herself frozen to the spot, unable to turn away from the creature that stood before her.

~~~

Eren ran as quietly as he could towards where he’d spotted the antlers moving in the distance. Even though the trees were a bit more spaced out as he went along, bushes and thickets still slowed him down. Branches hung low, obscuring his vision, but he was certain it was the deer he had seen among them – he’d bet his life on it.

The awareness of no longer being followed suddenly struck him, but before he had the chance to turn around and find out where Mikasa had gone off to, he spotted the antlers again off in the distance, moving towards a patch of light that cut through the forest about a hundred meters in front of him. How did it move so quickly? Was it headed to some kind of clearing?

Eren took off after the deer. But as he neared the light, he slowed down, suddenly hyperaware of every little sound he made: the rustling of leaves as he brushed up against them here, the snap of a twig there, and every deep breath he took trying to calm himself down. Now was not the time to blow it: they desperately needed food.

When the clearing finally came into view, he spotted the deer hiding behind a large shrub of giant yellow flowers, only the top of its antlers peeking out. Raising his right arm to ready his spear, stone dagger clutched in his left, Eren quickly mapped out where the deer’s heart, or at least its vital area, would be based on its position. In one smooth motion, he flung the spear as hard as he could through the shrub before jumping through after it, dagger aloft and yelling like a madman.

His spear had hit something alright, just not any kind of animal. As Eren confusedly tried to make sense of why his spear was currently embedded in a basket full of flowers, he landed on a soft form that gave out a frightened squeak as it was crushed by Eren’s momentum.

Eren barely had time to process the big brown eyes and freckled face that stared back at him before a roar broke out from the other side of the clearing.

“MARCO!” the voice cried out with tremendous force, followed by the sound of thundering hooves. Eren was violently yanked off of the terrified creature and tossed aside, rolling through the flowers for a couple of meters before finally sticking his arms out to stop himself. He dizzily tried to sit up, but before he could get his bearings the tip of a spear – a proper one, not some shoddy thing like Eren’s – was shoved in his face, just an inch shy of hitting the space between his eyes.

Eren let his gaze follow the spear up to the arm that held it. Tipping his head back, he took in the sight of the person – no, the creature – before him.

Eren had never seen a centaur before, but there was no mistaking that’s what he was. From the waist up, he seemed to be an entirely normal male teenager, but below that he possessed the powerful body of a large chocolate-brown horse, golden tail flicking angrily behind him. The human half of him was pale, and his golden hair was some kind of unruly Mohawk, reminiscent of a horse’s mane, with buzzed sides that were a colour much closer to the brown of his coat.

He had what Eren would later describe as a nasty look on his face, eyes burning with anger, mouth in a tight grimace, and chest heaving as he exhaled in strong, short bursts from his flared nostrils.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Eren, which he instantly regretted.

“Who… WHO AM I?!?” the centaur spat out angrily, eyes widening in disbelief. “I should be asking _you_ that question, you asshole! You just tried to kill my best friend!”

Eren took the opportunity to finally get a good look at the creature he had landed on, who had crept up to the centaur and was half-hiding behind one of his front legs, clutching it tightly.

The boy had the strangest legs he’d ever seen: they looked like the hind legs of a deer, but unlike the centaur, he was walking on only the two of them. His fluffy brown fur reached up to his belly, where his freckled skin took over. He a human torso, head and arms, but big, deer-like ears were peeking out of his dark hair and two peachfuzz-covered antlers were growing out of the top of his head. Thinking about it now, Eren should have realized that the antlers, which were the ones he had spotted earlier, were much too small to belong to an actual, full-sized stag. The creature himself wasn’t very tall, the tips of his antlers only just reaching the centaur’s waist. To be quite honest, Marco – if he remembered correctly the name the centaur had shouted earlier – was absolutely adorable, and Eren felt horrified that he’d come so close to hurting him.

“I am so sorry for almost killing you,” Eren told him, apologetic look completely genuine. “I thought you were a real deer; I… I guess I was wrong.”

“Damn right you were wrong, he’s a fawn, you dumbass,” retorted the centaur, who only then lowered the spear from Eren’s face. “You’re just lucky you have such terrible aim, otherwise I’d have ripped you to shreds.”

“Jean, you can calm down, it was clearly just a misunderstanding,” said Marco kindly, speaking up for the first time. He ran his hands in soothing motions over the centaur, who bent over to nuzzle his head.

“You sure you’re ok, Marco?” he asked quietly, the look of gentle concern on his face so different from the anger it had worn only moments before. “Because I swear, if he hurt you…”

“Hush, I’m fine,” the fawn said, patting the centaur – Jean, was it? – on the cheek before stepping out from behind his leg and towards Eren. “My basket’s the only thing that’s been harmed, but it can easily be replaced.”

Eren  winced.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I could help you make another, if that makes up for anything.”  He was a bit taken by surprise by how kind and forgiving the fawn was, in contrast to the angry centaur who was once again giving Eren dirty looks.

“Sure, that would be great!” Marco’s smile lit up his entire face as he spoke. “Say, what’s your name? I guess by now you know that I’m Marco, and the big angry one is Jean.” He giggled when Jean let out a “Hey!” in protest.

“I’m Eren. And actually,” he started, looking around and realizing he had no idea where he was, “I’m a little lost. I was trying to find some food with my sister Mikasa, but we got separated and now I don’t know where she is or how to find her.”

“Don’t worry,” said Marco, “we know the area pretty well. We’ll have no trouble helping you locate your sister.”

“What – no!” protested Jean. “Marco, I think you’re forgetting that this guy just tried to kill you! Why would we help him?”

“First off, he didn’t hurt me, so I, unlike somebody I know, have had the decency to get over it.” As he spoke, the fawn walked over to the remains of his basket and tugged out the spear. “Clearly this boy needs help; what kind of people would we be if we left him here to fend for himself, alone and without food?”

The centaur grumbled, but eventually walked over to his friend and helped him pick up the flowers that had scattered on the ground. Eren hesitantly joined them after a minute of indecisive fidgeting.

“Besides, he might decide to do something dumb like go after Connie next if we leave him out here alone,” said Marco mischievously, and the centaur barked out a laugh at that, finally letting the tension leave his shoulders.

The three started putting the flowers in Eren’s now empty woven pack, after he’d dumped out the last of his berries and offered them to the fawn as a final apology.

Marco seemed to be searching for something among the flowers, and let out a small triumphant gasp when he apparently found it. He picked up a bunch of pink and blue flowers that had been strung up and tied it around his head, nestled on top of his hair and around his antlers like a crown. He held up a garland of yellow ones to Jean, who after little hesitation bent down to let the fawn place it gently around his neck. Eren was given a red and white flower crown and felt it would be best to put it on without question, given the pointed look Jean had sent his way.

~~~

Mikasa had heard of centaurs before, but she’d never imagined them being so… elegant. Most of the horses she’s seen around the city were big, stocky ones meant for pulling carts and ploughing fields. The teenaged girl before her had, from the waist down, a lithe yet powerful equine body, with a solid dark coat more beautiful than any horse’s Mikasa had ever seen. The centaur still had her bow taught with an arrow aimed at Mikasa’s heart, her brown hair held back in a messy ponytail.

Once satistied Mikasa no longer seemed to be a threat, the centaur leaned over to the side to peek behind Mikasa.

“You ok there, Connie?” she said with an amused grin.

“Sasha! I thought I heard you back there!” came the somewhat muffled reply. “Yeah, I, um… kinda got stuck again…”

Sasha – Mikasa assumed that _was_ her name – threw her head back and laughed loudly, clutching her stomach.

“Hey, it isn’t funny!” barked out the rabbit, Connie, although he too began to laugh along with her. Mikasa decided it would be a safe time to speak up, since the centaur had put away her bow and no longer seemed to be in a hostile mood.

“I’m sorry for sneaking up on him earlier,” she told Sasha, apologetic. “I thought he was, well, just a normal rabbit, not a talking one.”

“I’m not a rabbit!” protested Connie as he tried once again to free himself from the bush his butt was currently peeking out of. His efforts were in vain as he remained as stuck as ever.

“Yeah, that’s fine, he’ll get over it,” Sasha said, grinning as she waved her hand in a shoo-ing motion. “Here, how about you help me get him out of there? You’re a bit closer to the ground so you might have more luck.”

Mikasa nodded and crouched down beside the not-rabbit, the centaur tucking her legs in as she lay down beside her.

“Ok, I’ll grab his feet and pull, but first try and see if you can get rid of whatever’s keeping him trapped.” Sasha then gently grabbed the not-rabbit’s hind legs, giving him a quick squeeze that made him giggle. “Sorry Connie! I keep forgetting you’re so ticklish!”

Mikasa reached into the bush, unsure of what she’d find. She groped around until she felt a head with big ears and a soft buzz cut, and kept going to find twigs, no… antlers? Carefully feeling along their length, she finally found where one of them had gotten wedged tightly the space between two of the tree’s thick roots. Manoeuvring his head as gently as she could, she eventually found the right angle that enabled her to finally free his antler. They all gave a triumphant shout as Sasha pulled him out of the bush and into a tight embrace.

Mikasa looked at Connie, puzzled. She had never seen nor heard of such a strange creature; he had the body of a very large, tan-coloured rabbit, with the head, shoulders and arms of a small boy. He had a bit of an odd face, with round eyes, a wide smile, and big ears that stuck right up, more like a jackrabbit’s or a hare’s than floppy bunny ears. And of course, to top it all off, he had a pair of fuzzy brown antlers that probably made up about a quarter of his total height. His appearance made her genuinely curious.

“If you don’t mind me asking… what are you?”

“I’m a jackalope, of course!” said Connie brightly.

“And it’s his first year growing horns, so he’s been getting them stuck _everywhere_ ,” added Sasha, the two laughing easily.

All of a sudden, a tall figured entered Mikasa’s line of sight, but it was still obscured by the shadowy forest.

“Oi, Sash, Con, I thought I’d heard your dorky laugh,” they said with a chuckle. The figure emerged from the shadows, and Mikasa tried not to gasp as _another_ centaur entered the clearing, a cocky grin on his face, yellow flowers strung around his neck and over his chest. He stopped when he caught sight of her though, lips parting in a soft “ _oh_ ” as he took in her appearance.

“Wow, you have such beautiful dark hair!” he said quietly, instantly embarrassed at having admitted his thoughts out loud, if his blush was anything to go by.

“Haha Jean! Look at you, shutting down the moment you see a pretty girl!” teased Connie as Sasha stood up and shifted the jackalope onto her back.

“I do not!” he said angrily, but with no venom. It seemed to Mikasa that the three were close friends, and that this kind of teasing was nothing new. “I was just… surprised, that’s all! Thought you two would be alone.”

“Sure big boy, whatever you say,” cooed Sasha as she trotted past Jean, flicking him with her tail. From her back, Connie muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “excuses, excuses!”

“Guys, can we please stop the teasing for one minute?” said a new voice from somewhere behind Jean. “I wouldn’t want you to scare off any new friends.”

A small figure jumped down from Jean’s back, where he had been completely out of Mikasa’s line of sight. He was taller than Connie, but like him also had antlers, although he looked more like a deer shifter that had gotten stuck halfway between deer and human. The fur on his back was patterned with stripes and dots much like a fawn’s, and when he turned towards her he saw that the human part of him was completely covered in freckles. A crown of pink and blue flowers rested on his head, and Mikasa wondered if wearing flowers was some kind of trend among the forest folk. The creature took a step towards her, flashing her a warm smile that was echoed in his kind eyes.

“Hi, I’m Marco! I’m a fawn, in case you were wondering,” he said, chuckling at her smile, “and I’m guessing you’ve already met these three idiots; Jean, Sasha and Connie.”

A chorus of “Hey!” rang out from behind him, with Jean adding: “Why did you include me in that list? They’re the only two idiots I see. Them and that kid back there.”

“Oh yes!” Marco gasped, clapping his hands. “Am I correct in assuming you are Mikasa, the sister Eren is looking for?”

“Yes, I –”

“MIKASA!” Eren roared as he jumped out of the forest, chucking the basket he was carrying aside and running up to his sister.

“Eren!”

She opened her arms and brought him into a crushing hug. Once her relief had finally washed over her, she leaned over to his ear and said: “If you ever run off on me again, I will tie you to a tree and I will never let you go anywhere ever again.”

He pulled back and whimpered at the sight of her dead serious expression, but gave her a curt nod nonetheless. “I promise. I’m sorry.”

“Idiot,” huffed out Jean before Marco smacked him in the leg. “Ow!”

“Well, now that that’s sorted, why don’t you tell us what the two of you are doing all the way out here on your own?” said the fawn.

“Yeah,” added Jean, “no offence, but… this isn’t really the place for two human kids to be wandering around without food or proper supplies.”

“Well, actually,” Eren began, giving his sister a quick look.

“That’s the reason we’re here,” finished Mikasa, removing her scarf to reveal her shiny black feathers.

Marco sat and quickly ushered the others to do the same. Leaning up against Jean’s flank, he rooted through one of his side bags and took out some food to pass around their little circle.

“Why don’t you guys start from the beginning?” he said. “I feel like there’s quite a story to be told.”

Eren and Mikasa took turns telling their tale, Eren jumping in to add details here and there, and Mikasa cutting in whenever she felt the need to correct his exaggerations. It took a couple of hours, but in the end they were able to explain everything leading up to their encounter with the strange group of friends.

“Well then,” said Jean as he got up to stretch his legs. “That was quite some story.”

“Indeed,” added Marco with a smile, “although I’m quite surprised those two managed to stay awake for the whole thing.”

“Are you kidding!?! Dude, that was amazing! I can’t believe you actually saw a dragon!” said Connie excitedly.

“Yeah, that took some real guts, going off on your own like that!” added Sasha.

“Anyways, it’s almost dark, so it’s about time we headed back to camp and got some real food into us,” said Jean, giving a hand to Marco so he could pull the fawn up onto his back.

“ _Jean._ ”

“What, Marco? I’m not that mean, these kids can come too. We aren’t jerks who turn away those in need, not like those royal bastards. Who do they think they are, discriminating against us magicals, right? Besides, these two must be the shittiest hunters I’ve ever seen; no way they’d survive on their own.”

The others grinned at their leader’s words.

“Yeah, I’m sure I could teach them a thing or two,” said Sasha with a wink.

“Thank you so much!” said Eren excitedly as he grabbed Mikasa’s hand and started following the two centaurs and their companions. Mikasa bent down to pick up the basket Eren had dropped and helped him put it back on.

“Yes, thank you, it means a lot to us,” she added softly, tugging her scarf up to hide her smile.

“No problem guys, you deserve a real home,” said Marco, turning back to watch the siblings as their group ventured further into the forest.

“Wait until you guys get to meet the rest of the herd!” Connie said, bouncing excitedly on Sasha’s back.

“Wouldn’t it go faster if you let me ride on your back too?” Eren asked Jean. “I mean Mikasa can just fly and all, but I –”

“HELL NO, said Jean, glaring back at him. “There is _no way_ I would _ever_ let a brat like you ride on my back. EVER.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you decide to stick around for more!
> 
> Oh and if you're wondering which horse Jean's supposed to be, just look up images for "Rocky Mountain Horse" and you'll have to agree that it's perfect ;D
> 
>  
> 
> As always, [my tumblr is here](http://shooponthemoon.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Thanks again to my lovely beta Kitshunette ;)


	3. It's All Fun and Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *one month later*
> 
> So sorry, life is just... really tough these days. I'm also getting more shifts at work, so yay for more money, but boo for less time to write. Oh well.
> 
> Sorry if this chapter feels a bit random, it was written in parts so I hope it doesn't feel too disconnected. The action is finally starting up so hopefully you enjoy this next bit!
> 
> Again, thanks to Kitshu for being my beta ;)
> 
> (Reminder : ~~~ is for a scene change/ time skip!)

 

“Hurry _up_ Jean, they almost spotted us!” exclaimed Eren, tightly gripping the back of the centaur’s leather vest as he glanced back behind them. He yelped as an oncoming branch clipped the side of his face, leaving a stinging red mark.

“Well if you don’t _shut up_ , there’s no way we’re getting by unnoticed, idiot!” hissed Jean as he jumped over a fallen branch, feeling Eren’s body tense as the teen struggled to stay upright. “And you might want to pay more attention to what’s going on in front of you!”

The two were getting close to the end of the other team’s side, and now was definitely not the time to get caught by their opponents. Sasha and Mikasa were the other team’s captains, and Sasha in particular liked to remind them of how their team had won the past three monthly games of Capture the Stag. Or, in Jean and Eren’s case, capture the jackalope.

The game was relatively simple: their entire group was divided in two teams, each with their section of the forest, with their base camp marking the divide between each side. Each centaur was paired with a rider to keep everyone evenly matched as far as speed went. The goal was to reach the end of the other team’s zone, where the “stag” was hidden, without getting caught, because if rider and centaur were separated, they would instantly be eliminated and sent back to base camp to wait out the rest of the game. Each team had one group of defenders, who stayed in their own zone, armed with shields to try and knock other riders off their four-legged companions. The other group was the hunters who ventured out in the other team’s zone, armed only with a net to catch their prey and a blunt stick to try and keep the other team’s defenders at bay.

When they had first created the game, the intention was to switch up the teams _and_ captains every time to try and keep things new and interesting. But after their first match ended in a tie, the competitiveness between both team captains evolved into a full-fledged rivalry, and every month when they played, Jean and Eren would face off against Mikasa and Sasha, obstinately keeping track of whoever had the most wins overall. They had reached a consensus that whoever ended up picking second for the teams got to decide which side they wanted to defend. Jean had won the toss this time around, meaning they had a strong team but had to deal with trekking through the harsher area closer to the mountains, where the trees thinned out and made for poorer cover.

They had also started out with actual stags as the “prey”, but the first match the two had bolted from captivity and no one was able to claim victory, resulting in a stalemate. The name had stuck though, and since then, Marco acted as Jean and Eren’s “stag”, and Connie was the one for Sasha and Mikasa’s team. Connie was smaller than Marco and thus harder to catch, but the fawn made up for it with his impressive camouflage abilities, his freckles and spots helping him blend in and hide.

At first, Jean had been _very_ reluctant to let anyone on his back, least of all Eren. But the game had been Marco’s idea in the first place, and he hadn’t wanted to shut him down right off the bat, especially not when he had been giving the centaur those big doe eyes he just couldn’t say no to. Plus, Sasha had been giving both of the siblings some hunting lessons, so Eren had improved quite a bit compared to when they’d first met. Mikasa was a natural at almost everything, they quickly had found out, so there was no comparing to her talent, but Eren had a fierce determination that had begrudgingly earned him Jean’s respect. And with Sasha and Mikasa, their best huntress and her apprentice, paired together, it left them no choice if they wanted to have a shot at actually winning.

As far as Eren was concerned, sure, he and Jean did not get along 100 % of the time, and probably argued more often than not, but there was no denying Jean was a natural leader and the fasted runner among them. Only Sasha was agile enough to stand a chance against him in a forest race, but the two team captains both chose to be hunters so never actually faced off in the midst of a match.

Having Eren on his back did slow him down though, considering the teen wasn’t exactly the best of riders, but today they had still managed to evade the other team’s defenders in record time. Now, it was just a matter of tracking down the pesky jackalope, and victory would be theirs.

Jean slowed as they neared the limit of the other team’s zone. He treaded carefully and quietly, wary of startling Connie, who would surely be hiding nearby. Eren tensed, before shakily releasing his grip on Jean’s vest and slowly untying the rope that kept their net tied to his back. Without pausing to look, Jean stuck back an arm to receive the net, before handing the stick back to Eren. He didn’t have to remind him to keep an eye out for defenders – they’d lost the last match after becoming so engrossed in trying to catch Connie that Eren hadn’t noticed Mina and her partner creeping up behind them. He still had a bruise on his butt from where he’d landed, hard, after being pushed from Jean’s back.

By now, the two were able to execute their capture strategy without having to bicker and argue about who did what – _that_ had cost them a couple of early matches – and got by with silent hand gestures as a way of communicating.

Eren saw a flash of light brown dart into a nearby bush. He tapped Jean’s shoulder and, once he had the centaur’s attention, pointed to the bush. Sharing a knowing look, they both nodded and readied themselves. Jean carefully walked over to the bush to get into position, moving only one foot at a time to ensure he didn’t snap any twigs as he went. When they were close enough, he unfurled the net and held it out at one side of the bush, giving Eren a quick nod to show he was ready.

In one fluid motion, Eren lifted his stick and brought it crashing down at one side of the bush, startling Connie and making him rush out the other end, right into Jean’s waiting net. By the time the jackalope noticed his mistake, his antlers were already stuck within the netting, and even powerful kicks to the centaur’s arms proved futile as he was bundled up and held aloft.

“Aww come on, Jean, let me go!” Connie cried out, as his two friends grinned at his predicament. “I get it, I get it, you won, now come on! This isn’t funny!”

“No, you’re right,” said the centaur, struggling not to burst out laughing, “this isn’t funny: it’s hilarious!” He passed their struggling friend back to Eren, who giggled as he held him up-side down.

“You call the game, oh Great Team Captain,” he said sarcastically as he tickled Connie’s now-vulnerable belly.

Jean merely grinned and unhooked a hunting horn from his belt. Taking a deep breath, he brought it up to his lips and blew, the loud sound echoing throughout the forest, signaling the end of the game. Twin triumphant grins were on the boys’ faces as they made their way back to base camp at the centre of the playing area, Connie still a grumpy bundle in Eren’s arms.

~~~

“Waaah! You killed our winning streak!” huffed Sasha as she untangled Connie from the net after he’d been unceremoniously dumped into her arms by a still-grinning Eren. “ _Jeaaan_ , you’re such a big meanie!”

“Whatever, you’re just can’t handle knowing our team is better than yours,” said Jean, cocky grin plastered on his face. Keeping one hand on his hip, he tossed the other back over his shoulder to receive a high-five from Eren.

“Well done, Eren, Jean,” said Mikasa softly as she climbed down Sasha’s back and removed the small blanket she had been sitting on.

“Yeah, you too!” he responded enthusiastically. “Well, I imagine you did I guess; it’s not like we actually saw much of each other out there.”

“Come on, let’s get some food, we’ve definitely earned it,” Jean told the group as Eren climbed down and removed his blanket as well.

“Yeah, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m _starving_!” cried Sasha, holding her belly.

“Dude, you’re _always_ starving! Hungry is like your natural state of being!” teased Connie from her back, tugging lightly on her ponytail.

“S’not my fault! I’ve got two stomachs to fill, and both of ‘em are bigger than you!”

They all laughed as they made their way towards the now-roaring fire at the middle of their camp. The other players were slowing trickling in from the forest, some looking a little more banged up and bruised than others. Those who hadn’t participated in the game were already gathered around the fire, food being passed out among them.

Eren breathed deeply, holding his breath a moment before letting it all go in a happy sigh. As they all sat, eating and laughing together, he looked around at all of his friends, his family, his _home_ , and not for the first time thought about just how lucky he and Mikasa had been. So much had changed for them… It was what, a year and a half, two years since they had fled Shinganshina? Nobody really kept track of time very well here, it seemed. They only took note of the cycles of the moon to know when their next match would be played, and the changing of seasons since it affected their hunting and food-gathering schedules. Plus it got pretty darn hot during the summer, so they usually took a break from the mountainside and ventured to the lake a little ways east for a couple of weeks for a brief respite.

They all had grown up a bit, too, something Eren had been especially happy of. He kept pestering Jean every time he was sure he’d grown an inch, and by the time the centaur finally agreed he was tall and strong enough to join them, he’d let Eren participate in his sparring lessons with Sasha, Thomas, a few of the other centaurs, and eventually Mikasa. Why they would ever need to know how to fight was beyond him, but apparently Jean was quite skilled with swords, according to Sasha – not that he had ever been allowed to use anything other than wooden practice swords so far.

It was harder for Eren and Mikasa, sparring against such taller opponents, but they eventually got used to it and learned how to use their height and speed to their advantage. Eren had been frustrated for a while that Mikasa was not only the best apprentice hunter, but also the best apprentice fighter, but he quickly tossed the idea aside and replaced it with overwhelming pride for his sister. Besides, as Marco kept kindly reminding him, there was surely something he was truly talented at; they just hadn’t found out what that was yet.

~~~

Eren tossed the core of his apple at Jean’s butt and flicking golden tail, careful not to hit Marco, who was perched on his best friend’s back. Eren had gotten into another heated argument with the centaur that morning just before leaving – not that either of them even remembered what it had been about – and their grappling and yelling had only ceased once a very angry Mikasa had dragged her brother away. Both sported bruises and fat lips, and hadn’t exchanged a word since their small group had left camp to trek southwards into the mountains.

“Why do we even need to go there?” he’d asked earlier that morning as they’d packed their bags.

“Isn’t it a little dangerous going that far into the mountains?” Mikasa had added.

“It is, but we should be fine as long as we stay within the mountain range and don’t go too far south,” had said Marco, who was already packed, ready to go, and sat on a chair, swinging his legs. “Besides, the plant we’re looking for is very valuable: it’s the main ingredient in a burn salve that the Sorceress makes, and she’s almost out of supplies. She sent most of what she had over to the Rose Kingdom after the Shinganshina disaster to help the victims. It’s really effective stuff.”

“Damn right it is, and it would be really bad if we ran out of it, especially since dragons are out there again doing who knows what,” had said Jean grumpily as he’d poked his head into Eren and Mikasa’s cabin. “Just a shame that the plant doesn’t grow up here; it’d make things much easier. You guys ready to go yet?”

“Yeah, almost, jeez,” had grumbled Eren as he’d tried to find his second boot among the mess of clothes on his side of the room. “What’s wrong with you today? Slept on a porcupine or something?”

“Yeah, and you’re just a little ray of sunshine yourself,” he’d retorted, rolling his eyes.

Marco had leaned in and whispered to Eren: “He’s just mad we’ve run out of our own stock. The stuff works wonders against sunburns too, and Jean’s white as snow and burns in an instant if he walks out of the shade unprotected. Extreme sunshine makes him grumpy.” The fawn had giggled as Jean made a face, having overheard everything. The centaur had retreated, muttering angrily to himself “Where is your loyalty, Marco?”

Once all their stuff had finally been packed up, including their as-of-yet unused swords, and the boys’ inevitable quarrel had successfully been broken up, the group had left, waving goodbye to the rest of their friends.

After clearing the edge of the forest and wandering along the grassy mountain pass, it took Jean all of 45 minutes before he started flicking his tail about, tossing his head, and making a myriad of frustrated noises. Marco took his water and poured some in his hair before running a small amount over his friend’s back.

“I’m surprised it took you this long to start complaining, you big baby,” he said fondly as Eren snickered from behind them.

“Wow Jean, I can see you turning red already!”

“Shut it, Jeager!”

Mikasa, who had started weaving straw sunhats from where she sat on Mina’s back, tossed one to Marco without a word. Jean began to make noises in protest, but let the fawn drape it ceremoniously over his damp hair anyways. He let out a sigh as his eyes were finally shaded from the glaring sun. Mikasa gave a small smile and started making hats for the others. The cool spring breeze that filtered through the mountains prevented them from feeling overly warm, but the blindingly bright sun was definitely an annoyance when not a cloud or tree was around to offer any kind of shade.

Connie, who had been napping peacefully on Sasha’s back in front of Eren, stretched lazily and gave a content smile. He gave Eren a wide grin before leaning up against Sasha’s back, kicking his long rabbit legs up in front of him.

“This heat is _gorgeous_. And it isn’t even summer yet! That’s one thing I miss about living in the forest: constant, comforting warmth. Damn, it’s been too long since I’ve been back down this close to home.”

“What do you mean, home?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? I’m _from_ the south, you know, beyond the mountains?”

“What! Really?”

“Yeah, ever wonder why I’m the _only_ jackalope you’ve ever seen? Because we don’t come from the forest; we live in the grassy plains of the south.”

“But then… isn’t it dangerous with all the ogres running loose? And how come you’re up here then?” Connie’s expression sobered up quickly, and he lowered his gaze.

“Yes. It is dangerous. And that’s something I’ll never forget.”

“What do you mean?”

“Connie…” Sasha started, giving a worried glance over her shoulder. “You don’t need to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“It’s… fine Sasha. I’m fine.” He looked back up, flashing Eren an unconvincing grin. “I’m a big boy now, and besides, it happened a long time ago. I’ve moved on, I’ll just… never forget, that’s all.”

“I’m sorry if I made you sad,” Eren said in a small voice. “You don’t have to tell me.”

“Like I said, it’s ok. Let’s just say… you’re not the only one who lost family to the ogres.”

“Oh. You… lost your mom too?”

“Yeah… and my dad, and my many, many siblings. Which is kinda why I left, couldn’t really handle being the only survivor, and I didn’t want to live anywhere that ogres could get to me. So I went north, up through the mountains.”

“Connie…” Sasha murmured again. She looked to be about three seconds away from pulling her friend into a tight hug. He held up his hands, trying to reassure the both of them that he was totally fine and not about to burst into tears or anything dramatic like that.

“Guys, seriously, stop it with the sad looks! Honestly, I’d just picked a nice day to go exploring on my own, far from our nest. I mean, it’s almost a good thing, right? Otherwise I’d never have met either of you guys, your sister, or Grumpy McHorsebutt and the Freckled Wonder.”

He gave a genuine laugh at that, and the two others relaxed, knowing his gloom had passed. Sasha changed the subject to hunting, wondering what kind of game would be available nearby, and they put the moment behind them, although Eren kept a close eye on Connie, wondering if any of their other friends were hiding such a tragic past, and how they had found their way into their eclectic herd of misfits.

The next couple of days passed as such: lots of walking, Jean complaining about the sun, Connie praising the sun, Mikasa and Sasha going off to hunt every now and then, and Jean and Eren constantly going from bouts of silent ignoring to jumping at each other’s throats. Jean was already grumpy from the heat, and for some reason Eren found himself constantly on edge. He figured it was due to not having ventured this far from their forest in ages; he had grown used to the constant presence of trees, and the endless wind and blazing sun were starting to get to him too.

At long last, they had traveled far enough to start spotting small, individual bunches of the plant they needed. Marco claimed these were still a bit too much on the small side, and as the other left to make camp in one of the nearby caves and go hunt for lunch, Eren and Jean followed the fawn as he pointed out different plants and talked about their various uses in potions, salves, and remedies. The two taller boys carried baskets on their backs to hold the plants, once they found some Marco deemed acceptable.

They slowly went about collecting the plants as they came across them, Marco stopping every now and then to ooh and aah over different flowers, which he would then carefully tuck into his own satchel. Just as he finished filling his, Eren heard a soft “Ooof!” from behind him, followed by a thud, and turned in time to see Jean kneeling on the ground, front legs collapsed awkwardly below him, one arm outstretched for balanced and the other hand on his forehead. His visibly reddened face was grimacing in pain.

“Jean!” Marco cried out, both boys rushing to help him. “You big dummy! I told you to bring your hat with us! I think you have heatstroke…”

Eren did the only thing he could think of, and dumped all the water he had left over the centaur’s head.

“Thanks Eren. Do you think you could carry those two baskets back on your own? I need you to fetch Thomas and Sasha, we’ll need them to help us carry Jean back to camp.”

He nodded and stood.

“I’m… fine…” Jean wheezed, trying to get up. He managed to right himself before almost collapsing on the small fawn, who took him by the hand and brought him to sit beneath an outcropping of rocks, which offered the only bit of shade nearby.

“Yeah, you’re not going anywhere like that anytime soon. I’ll make you some salve tonight, it should help with the sunburns.”

Knowing Marco had the situation in hand, Eren hefted each basket over a shoulder. He spared one final glance before heading to camp, noting with relief that Jean seemed to calmed down somewhat, probably due to the soothing circles Marco’s thumb was rubbing on the back of the hand he still held tightly.

He had only been walking for a few minutes when he heard a sudden, deafening crash coming from the direction he’d just left. Seconds later, a cry rose up, and Eren’s heart almost stopped when he recognized the voice as Jean’s. Tossing the baskets aside, he ran back to where he’d left his friends, suddenly glad he’d grabbed his sword today on a whim. It was time he’d put all of that training to good use, but he feared he would be too late to save his friends by the time he’d arrived.

And his fears almost proved true: upon turning the last corner, he was met with a virtual wall of rocks where they’d broken free from the mountainside and come crashing down in a heap. Jean was there, almost buried in the rubble, blood dripping down from his hairline and down the side of his face. But what was more horrifying was the body his arms were reaching out to – there, unmoving and covered in blood, was Marco.

And towering above him, its ugly face slowly turning towards the newcomer, was the biggest, most terrifying ogre Eren had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger! Oh noes!
> 
> I'll try to write the next bit soon, but no promises. From what I've planned it's relatively short, but who knows how it'll actually end up being :P
> 
> (Also Jean, remember how you said you'd never let Eren on your back? Ahahaha how times have changed :P)

**Author's Note:**

> If you've read this far, thanks for being awesome! :D
> 
> [My tumblr is here](http://shooponthemoon.tumblr.com/), please come say hi or whatever, it would really make my day!


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